17

Episode 17.
One of the things I was beginning to get uncomfortable with Mr Marcello about is his ways of doing things and caring less about the people around him.
When he dragged me out of the party,he didn't say another word to me till he dropped me off in front of my apartment. It was a little past 12 and my head felt heavy,my eyes tired.
When I got into my apartment room,Katie was sprawled across the couch,the TV playing quietly and the TV remote on her hand which is flung down from the couch to the floor. At the foot of the couch is an empty popcorn bowl,a thick knitted cloth which appeared to have fallen off her body moulded down and her short hairs thrown across her face. Her breathing is slow and her chest moved slowly.
I walked closer,careful not to wake her up now and slowly picked up her hand from the floor and placed it beside her. She stirs a bit but doesn't wake up. My lips made a small smiling movement before I pulled the cloth over her body. I picked up the remote and switched off the TV, placing it gently on the rack. I picked up the empty bowl and quietly walked over to the kitchen counter and dropped it. I walked back out and Katie's motionless face came to view as she slept peacefully.
The thought of Robin wanting to meet with me crosses my mind as I watched her. Katie's so messed up right now and I feel there's more than she's letting me know.
My stomach made a thunderous rumble,reminding me that the only thing in my stomach was the lunch I ate with Trevor around 12 today. After which I'd chucked down series of different wines at the party.
I walked back into the kitchen to fix myself a little dinner to eat. More like breakfast, I thought to myself. After eating some bread stuffed with a leftover salad,I walked into my bedroom and fell straight as a pin down my bed. I needed to get out of this dress but I was more tired than I actually cared about the dress. But I was very uncomfortable in them and doubt I'd have a good sleep so I quickly rose up and pulled off the dress and the trousers. I couldn't afford to shower and get the make up off me right now so I just lay back down,my eyes slowly shutting close.
My mind drifts to the party. The face of that man with the green eyes and red hair seated at the backroom crosses my mind and I pealed my eyes open. Who the hell was he?
The last thing my mind registered to my brain was Mr Marcello's voice yelling at me,his hand pulling me out of the party building.
When I woke up the next morning, my eyes flew open to meet the laptop from the other day still seated untouched on my dresser table. I winced in pain as I tried to sit up,my head heavy like a wrecking ball,my eyes painfully tired. The last time I've slept so late was back in college where I had to study for tests and exams. And I can clearly remember not drinking alcohol while doing that. I wasn't going to have a hangover, I barely drank half bottle of alcohol. I was just tired from the late night sleep.
I picked myself up from the bed. Light seeped in through my window and I carefully walked into my bathroom. I peel off my clothes and took a really long hot shower. When I finally walked back into my bedroom,I could perceive the sweet scent of toasts and bacon. I felt a lot more better now. I picked up my phone and checked the time. 7:15. I shrugged and dropped the phone. I'm gonna be late anyways, so why hurry?
I took my time in selecting the dress to wear. I picked a yellow peplum top with a faded skinny jeans trousers. I decided to make my hair into wavy strands this time,instead of just brushing through the tangles. I suddenly realized that wearing a little make up today wouldn't hurt. So,I wore mascara and a very little eyeliner after powdering my face. Then I wore pink lip gloss.
I picked up the laptop and walked out,deciding to work on it when I get to the office.
Katie is in the kitchen,the shrilling sound of something frying filling my ears as I approached.
"Good morning, Kay," I set down the laptop and my bag on the breakfast table "what's for breakfast?"
"Good morning, Ashley," she turns to me,setting a plate of pancakes in front of me "there's a lot on the table don't you think?"
I gave her a smile "you my friend,eat a lot these days"
"Food is wealth" she replied with a poker face.
"Ah....are you sure that's how that phrase goes?"
She shrugs and laughs.
I start to fill a plate before looking around for Luca "where's Luca?"
"Oh he ran down town,said he has a breakfast date with some girl" Katie gave me the knowing brows.
I laughed knowingly and replied "well that's good news"
I thought about telling her about my meeting with Robin but I quickly discarded the thought. Katie would never let me do that and I know somehow, deep inside her,there was still a chance for this,for Robin,to make things work between them and she's in too much denial to see that,to see past this pain in her heart. And I concluded that I was gonna see Robin behind her back and hear what he has to say.
** *
When I arrived at the office,I saw Mona walking out of Mr Marcello's office.
"The boss's been asking of ya" she whispers conspiratorially as she passed me before walking into the elevator.
I sighed deeply,suddenly feeling so sick in the stomach. I put down the laptop on my desk along with my bag before walking into his office.
When I walked in his eyes flew up to see me before looking down again on his laptop.
"You came late,Ashley" he said as I stopped before him,his eyes still perched on his laptop.
"I was having a bad morning" I replied.
"I knew you were gonna have an excuse," his eyes met mine "you never run out of those"
"I wasn't giving an excuse,Sir"
"Whatever. I didn't call you so you could fight with me again. Did you abridge the papers yet?"
"Um," I starred blankly at him "what papers?"
He turns his full face to me now and said "the laptop Mona gave you. Hand it over"
I'm screwed.
"I.....I'm not ...."
"You didn't do it,again."
"I'm sorry but I haven't been able to do it yet"
"Any more excuses?"
"It's not an excuse. I've been really occupied. You asked me to accompany you to the party last night"
"Last night. I gave you this assignment two days ago. What has that got to do with the party last night?!"
"I've been really busy and you know it. I'm going to do it right now"
"Not while you need to present it to the conference members in less that thirty minutes"
I watched him,surprised. I wanted to know what he was talking about right now but I lost my will to ask anything and just stood there.
"What are you talking about?"
"Well if it pleases your lordship,my China constructors will be here very soon and you'd need to present the contents of that file to them. In papers!"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Did you just question me?"
"I'm sorry but this isn't just fair. Something like this is supposed to come to me before hand....I....."
I realized that standing there and arguing was pointless. Nothing was gonna change this man's mind and I've got less time to study this. Angrily,I turned away and stormed out of his office. I needed to take the take the file down to the computer room and get it printed into paper.
By the time I was done,I could barely go through it in my office before I received a call from the receptionist that the men where here on a meeting with Mr Marcello. I furiously walked into the conference room with the necessary papers before the men walked in with Mona leading them and lastly, Mr Marcello.
I was too angry to even as much as look at him and I just read what I saw on the papers. While the men found my presentation great,I was boiling inside. When Mr Marcello asked me questions, I answered without even looking at him. He light to know what he did but also I knew he wasn't gonna feel remorseful about it. He's a monster.
By the time the conference came to a conclusion, I left immediately before Mr Marcello and took my seat at my office. When he walked out the men,I minded my business and didn't spare a glance.
A few minutes later,Trevor walks to the front of my cubicle.
"What's up,Ashley?" He said.
I reluctantly looked at him and gave him a small weak smile before replying "I'm fine."
"You seem pretty worked out. Nothing a cold lemonade wouldn't fix"
"Thanks,Trevor......I'm really busy now"
I enjoyed Trevor's company a lot and the last thing I wanted to do was turn down a lunch with him but I was just so fed up with Mr Marcello and this office and everything that I couldn't afford a lunch luxury like everything was okay.
"Too busy to skip lunch?" Trevor speaks again "come on,you deserve this"
I wanted to refuse again but I knew Trevor would never stop insisting that we go so I finally gave up.
When we walked into the small eatery from across the street,my eyes barely left the office's skyscraper building protruding from behind a series of smaller houses from the other side as I slumped down on a seat.
Trevor sits at my front as usual,his eyes scanning me dubiously.
"What?" I ask him tiredly.
"You look......sick" he observed. I grunted in pain before lying my head on the table
Trevor stood up and walked out,probably over to the front desk. He soon came back with our foods. I rose from the table to give more space for the food.
He sets down the cold lemonade in front of me and I gave him a grateful smile before opening it and drinking it.
"Your head a little light now?" He asked,raising a brow at me. It did help a little.
I nod "yeah,thanks Trevor"
"You're having trouble with the boss again?"
I chewed on a French fry before replying "you know it's him or nobody else"
"What's the matter again?"
"You would not believe he asked me to a party last night....."
"A party?!" He asked,horrified.
"No no,not like that. I mean,he said a friend of his was throwing it for his wife who just got out of surgery. And he said to me " keep your eyes open" like what the hell does he even mean?! Then we go to this party and there's a lot of unfamiliar faces and I'm left alone to,"I finger quote ""keep my eyes open". He gave me some laptop to work on the other day and I was unable to do that yesterday and he just flares up this morning, all upset about it. He had caused it,Trevor! We left that damned party by 12! I could barely keep my eyes open when I got home and he just starts at me this morning like he didn't cause it all! "
"Hey calm down,okay?"
"I'm just really upset" I drink more lemonade.
"Mr Marcello can be really frightening sometimes. What did he want you to keep an eye out for?"
"He didn't say," I put down the beverage can,my mind drifting back to the green eyed man. "Though I did see somebody who kept looking at me like a creep. Mr Marcello did talk about some Amoretti guy"
"Amoretti?"
"Yeah,you know him?"
"More like them. He has a long history with Mr Marcello, as I've heard"
"What history?"
Trevor shrugs before replying "they're the reason behind Mr Marcello's broken family. So I've heard"